Monday, August 21, 2023

Czapek – Place Vendome Complicite – “Courage Every Second” Only Watch 2023


Czapek & Cie Place Vendôme Complicité – “Courage Every Second” Only Watch 2023

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ONLY WATCH UNVEILS CZAPEK'S LATEST CREATION, COMPLICITE -A SURPRISING COMBINATION OF OPEN-WORKED ESCAPEMENTS AND OUTSTANDING ENAMELLING.

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Geneva, June 2023 — For the 10th edition of Only Watch, Czapek & Cie is delighted to donate a new, one-of-a-kind timepiece to the 2023 charity auction, which will take place in Geneva in November.

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Since the Czapek name was revived in 2016, the Geneva-based watchmaking Maison has been committed to supporting the auction and, at Czapek's humble Only Watch debut in 2017, a delicate Quai des Bergues featured the enamelling mastery of its cherished partner, Donze Cadrans, with a one-off enamel dial featuring a hidden 'secret phrase' in the form of Czapek's special words: 'Courage every second'. 

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Since then, Czapek has combined the Only Watch rules —to play creatively with a special colour or design for each edition — with its secret phrase, which has become its motto for Only Watch and is now directly visible on the minutes track. 

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This creativity has resulted in a growing impact on the charity, as the prices bid by collectors have increased consistently with each auction. The charity organisation behind Only Watch, the Association Monegasque contre les Myopathies (AMA) has particular resonance for Xavier de Roquemaurel, CEO of Czapek & Cie, whose extended family, friends and shareholders have been directly impacted by Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy or ALS.  

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"The sands of time are not always kind to us, and we can all find ourselves living through very difficult situations that sometimes feel hopeless," he says. "Duchenne's can hit anyone, anywhere — a child, a nephew... 'Courage every second' is our way of sharing our feelings and offering our support and encouragement to everyone going through painful and challenging times." 

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Playing the 2023 Creative Game For Czapek, the 2023 Only Watch brief presented a pinnacle of complex creativity: the visual branding for this 10th edition, created by Only Watch's founder, Luc Pettavino with design partner Johan Pizzardini, was inspired by Hexa Grace, the famous multi-coloured work by artist Victor Vasarely that decorates the roof of the Monaco Convention Centre. This year's visual incorporates the colours of all past editions with the addition of green — meaning that any or all of the colours could be incorporated into the 2023 watches. The graphic form is very angular, with strong colour blocks.

 Playing the 2023 Creative Game

For Czapek, the 2023 Only Watch brief presented a pinnacle of complex creativity: the visual branding for this 10th edition, created by Only Watch's founder, Luc Pettavino with design partner Johan Pizzardini, was inspired by Hexa Grace, the famous multi-coloured work by artist Victor Vasarely that decorates the roof of the Monaco Convention Centre. This year's visual incorporates the colours of all past editions with the addition of green — meaning that any or all of the colours could be incorporated into the 2023 watches. The graphic form is very angular, with strong colour blocks. 

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In response, Czapek has played with all of the ingredients, uniting outstanding enamel work with an exceptional new dual-escapement movement featuring a massive differential gear at 12 o'clock — and even taking the opportunity of Only Watch to reveal the first execution of the timepiece that will become the newest addition to its collection — the Place Vendome Complicite

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The one-of-a-kind Only Watch piece is cased in steel (rather than the precious metals that will be used for the production models) and the dial is encircled by a strikingly colourful champleve enamel ring created by its partner Donze Cadrans.

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Bringing together all of the Only Watch 2023 colours, the lozenge pattern of the enamel work was inspired by ripples on the surface of Lake Geneva, while also giving a subtle nod to the Only Watch graphics. While the 'Courage every second' motto discreetly signs the dial on the minutes rail-track, a second aphorism — 'A friendship story' — engraved on the wheel bridge on the reverse side, invites the reader to search and later discover the story behind this watch.

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"Since its inception, Only Watch has been an extraordinary human story of sharing and collaboration — values that are fundamental to the way we approach everything at Czapek," says Xavier de Roquemaurel. "It unites the entire watch industry in a spirit of creativity and common cause, as well as bringing together people from all over the world beyond our industry. We are honoured to participate once again and wish this 10th edition even greater success than ever."

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About Czapek & Cie
 

François Czapek was a Czech-born Polish watchmaker who fled to Geneva in 1832 after fighting in the Polish uprising. He immediately started his own atelier and in 1839 entered into a partnership with Antoine Norbert de Patek, introducing him to the world of watchmaking. In 1845, at the end of their partnership, he created Czapek & Cie and achieved considerable success. He became the official watchmaker of Napoleon III and opened, what was most likely the first watchmaking boutique on the Place Vendome in Paris. 

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He wrote a book about watchmaking, but unfortunately, he died before publishing a second one. Czapek & Cie has been revived in 2015 with an exceptional collection, whose leading model won the Public Prize in the Grand Prix de l’Horlogerie in Geneva in November 2016. This collection takes its inspiration from an 1850’s Czapek time piece. It features a beautiful enamel dial and a 7-day proprietary movement perfectly combining craftsmanship with design and exclusivity with rarity. The Company second collection, a suspended Tourbillon with a second time-zone, was launched one year later in 2017, while the first Czapek chronograph Faubourg de Cracovie was unveiled at Baselworld 2018. The company is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

#wecollectrarepeople

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TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS


Model name:  Place Vendôme Complicité – “Courage Every Second”

Specificities:
— Unique architecture for a double escapement with differential at 12 o'clock
— Open-worked
— Champlevé enamel ring created in collaboration with Donzé Cadrans
— Only Watch 2023 colour palette 
— “Courage Every Second” inscribed on the réhaut

CASE
Stainless steel case with a mix of brushed and polished surfaces 
Diameter: 41.8mm
Case height: 12.4mm
Lug to lug: 42.2mm
Cutaway lugs
Domed sapphire crystal glass-box with anti-reflective treatment ARDur©
Sapphire crystal case-back with anti-reflective treatment
Water resistance: 120m
DIAL
Champlevé enamel ring created in collaboration with Donzé CadransColor palette of Only Watch 2023
Circular satin-polished brass flange (réhaut) with Czapek’s Only Watch “Courage every second” signature
Entirely open-worked
Grainé finish 
Partially skeletonised sword hands with Super-LumiNova tips
MOVEMENT
Czapek Calibre 8, created in collaboration with Bernhard Lederer 
Open-worked 
Double escapement with differential 
Screwed balance wheel 
Power reserve indication (72 hours) 
Two sapphire glass bridges 
Hand-bevelling (anglage) on bridges and main plate 
18 inward angles 
6 golden settings (chatons) 
FUNCTIONS
Hours, Minutes, Seconds & Power reserve indicator
Open-work Double-escapement with differential gearing at 12 o’clock
BRACELET
Alligator strap with pin buckle

 🔰Edition
Limitation: Unique piece for Only Watch 2023

 🔴Prices    Lot 19      Estimated at CHF 80,000 - CHF 100,000 💰

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www.OnlyWatch.co

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Press Release - 2023
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Czapek & Cie – 2, Rue Saint-Léger, 1205 Genève Suisse
Contact presse: Valeria Garavaglia Pedroni
Email: valeria@czapek.com | jane@czapek.com (UK)

Tel.  +41 79 314 08 54
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Czapek.com

Friday, August 18, 2023

BIANCHET – Flying Tourbillon Grande Date B1.618 Edition

 

BIANCHETTOURBILLON Flying Tourbillon Grande Date B1.618 Carbon/Titanium Edition 2023

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A subtle blend of ultramodern style and timeless design, Bianchet’s new flying tourbillon will be showcased at the “Geneva Watch Days” exhibition, from 29 August to 2 September, and presented in the Bianchet Suite at the Beau-Rivage Hotel in Geneva.

When contemporary watchmaking meets
the timeless design principles of the Golden Ratio 1.618

An unusual combination of age-old construction principles and ultramodern watchmaking style, the Flying Tourbillon Grande Date B1.618 is the expression of transparency, pure lines and high-tech spirit, meant to seduce lovers of prestigious grand complication timepieces.

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Swiss watchmaker Bianchet, creator of tourbillon watches whose contemporary style is imbued with timeless design principles, is asserting its passion for horological complications with the new Flying Tourbillon Grande Date B1.618. The aesthetic sensibility of Bianchet, inspired by age-old construction principles and Italian design, is recognisable from the pure lines of its refined tonneau case, and the construction of its in-house-developed skeleton movement, whose proportions respect those of the golden ratio of 1.618. With its two horology complications, this watch expresses refinement, strength and natural balance, in a resolutely contemporary trend of style and materials.

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Driven by a passion for design and a rich Italian heritage, the founders of Bianchet put the pursuit of beauty at the heart of the brand's creative universe. An uncompromising quest for aesthetic perfection down to the smallest detail. The Flying Tourbillon Grande Date B1.618 is a sensory, cultural and mechanical horological creation, conceived and designed according to the mathematical principles of the Golden Ratio and the Fibonacci sequence, that underlie the beauty of the universe.

Perfect Proportions

By applying thousand year-old design principles deriving from the iconic geometric ratio 1.618, which has been used in the most harmonious compositions in art, architecture and music for centuries, Bianchet infuses perfect proportions into ultramodern timepieces.  

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For the sake of harmony, the two complications of the new Bianchet calibre are perfectly positioned according to the golden triangles used to design the movement, while the architecture of the bridges originates at the central point of the tourbillon cage to follow the curves dictated by the Fibonacci spiral. The back bridges for their part, form concentric golden circles, whose diameters respect the ratio of 1.618, while key elements of the movement front, including the tourbillon cage, the hour wheel and the big date, are positioned according to the geometric rules of the golden circles. This unique construction, which combines symmetry and asymmetry, gives the Bianchet B1.618 movement all its personality, depth and balance.

Sporty Elegance

Invented by Cartier in 1906, the tonneau case was conceived to be both elegant and comfortable. A very innovative shape at the time, it still represents the epitome of class and sophistication. By adding pure lines and harmonious proportions underlined by refined colour accents, Bianchet creates a watch that is both sophisticated and sporty.

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One of the few tonneau-shaped carbon watches capable of withstanding a pressure of 10 ATM (100 metres of water depth) and shocks of 5000G, the Flying Tourbillon Grande Date B1.618 has been designed to be versatile, and can be endorsed during sports and water activities.

The lightness of the cutting-edge material, the softness of the natural vulcanised rubber, combined with the perfect and sensual curves of the case, create a unique tactile experience.

High-Tech Preciousness

Crafted from Titanium-Dust-High-Density-Carbon, an exclusive composite of carbon fibres infused with titanium powder, the case of the Flying Tourbillon Grande Date B1.618 combines the performance of a highly resistant and light material, with the preciousness of a noble metal.

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Adding to the high density of the composite, which is made of circa 500 compressed layers of 0.03 mm thick carbon fibres, the titanium powder is infused between every two layers, bringing light and subtle reflections to this cutting-edge material.

The orientation of the carbon fibres, arranged following variations of 45 and 90 degrees between the layers, allows to achieve an isotropic material structure that is extremely homogeneous, dense and resistant, while offering aesthetically pleasing patterns enhanced by the titanium particles.

A streamlined tonneau case

The sleek, unadorned bezel of the new Bianchet flying tourbillon watch blends seamlessly with the case middle, following its curves down to its discreet lugs, which give the case its chic and elegant look. The caseback, also in perfect continuity with the bezel and middle, adds balance and finesse to the case with its fluid and flowing shapes, whose balance is dictated by the proportions of the golden ratio.

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Only the presence of the coloured rubber gaskets makes it possible to identify the boundaries of each element of the Flying Tourbillon Grande Date B1.618 case, so harmonious are its curves. This construction, that is both pleasant to the eyes and to the touch, is subtly underlined by two strokes of colour, giving personality to this tonneau case, which was created with purity, harmony and a sensory experience in mind.

"A watch must arouse the senses and emotions. The sound of the movement ticking, the visual magic of the flying tourbillon and the tactile experience provided by the case materials are all elements we work on to create a unique sensation," explains Emmanuelle Festa Bianchet, co-founder of Bianchet.

Manufacture movement in titanium

Pursuing their passion for the tourbillon mechanism, the founders of Bianchet embraced the vaulting challenge of developing their own flying tourbillon movement, which bridges and tourbillon cage are entirely made in titanium, with the addition of an openworked big date. The transparency of the skeleton construction and the hand-made finishing reveal the refinement of the architecture, while giving life to the soul of the movement.

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The tourbillon mechanism, invented by Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1795 to defy the force of gravity, is considered one of the most prestigious complications in Haute Horlogerie. Bianchet’s flying tourbillon movement rotates with a precision of -4+4 seconds per day, without any bridge obstructing the beauty of this fascinating piece of mechanical engineering. As if suspended in mid-air, the titanium tourbillon cage, which bears the Bianchet signature, has been designed to defy gravity in style.

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howcasing a perpetual motion, like floating at the heart of the openwork architecture, the Bianchet flying tourbillon mechanism is mounted on ball bearings, which give it fluid rotation and unequalled precision. The adjustment of the movement in six positions further enhances the accuracy of the watch, regardless of the position in which it is laying.
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Revealing the intricacies of the calendar function, the fully skeletonised Big Date complication of the Flying Tourbillon Grande Date B 1.618 movement displays the date in a format that is both easy to read and aesthetically minimalist. A simple colour accent on the aperture identifies the current date, without detracting from the mechanical subtlety of the two discs that rotate in time with the days. Bianchet chose to adapt the big date complication, invented by Lange & Söhne in 1994, in a contemporary and essential style, revealing its mechanical ingenuity.

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Two suspended flanges supporting Superluminova blocks, which recall the hour indicators made in the same high-tech material, are placed symmetrically on both sides of the openwork dial. Already present in Bianchet Tourbillon B1.618 Openwork model, they give the movement a distinctive touch, while playing with light, depth and transparency to create a modern and sculptural architecture.

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Entirely made in Switzerland and assembled in the Bianchet workshop in La-Chaux-De-Fonds, the calibre of the Flying Tourbillon Grande Date B1.618 is ennobled by hand finishing, which sublimates the beauty of its components. Particularly difficult to achieve on titanium, hand-bevelling, which is guided by the craftsman's hand, gives life to  the contours of the bridges, reveals the shapes and adds sparkle to the winding parts.

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Various finishing techniques add light and changing reflections to the geometry of the arches and enhance the sophisticated architecture of the movement, while leading the eye towards the transparency and subtleties of this double-complication watchmaking mechanism.

"By creating our own movement, we have taken up an important challenge aimed at building a Bianchet legacy of increasingly fascinating tourbillon watches, created for lovers of Grand Complications and unique watchmaking experience," says Rodolfo Festa Bianchet, founder and CEO of Bianchet.

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A blend of ultramodern spirit and classical heritage, the "Flying Tourbillon Grande Date B1.618" represents the meeting of opposites. Through the unusual encounter between high-tech and noble materials, fine watchmaking techniques, and age-old design principles, Bianchet gives birth to a new paradigm in contemporary watchmaking, full of singular emotions and unparalleled sensations.

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The "Flying Tourbillon Grande Date B1.618" watch will be produced in only 200 pieces in 2023, Bianchet offering its customers a choice of eight colour variations.

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About Bianchet 
 
Bianchet embodies the singular union of ultramodern style and a classic design heritage in Haute Horlogerie. The relationship between meaning and culture, mathematics and mechanics is at the heart of Bianchet's thinking, which is to infuse the Golden Ratio 1.618 and transpose the mathematical proportions underlying the harmony and beauty of the universe into the world of modern fine watchmaking.
 
This approach to contemporary Haute Horlogerie finds expression in Bianchet tourbillon watches. The sleek tonneau shape, the exclusive design of the in-house-developed calibre, the Italian aesthetic, the choice of high-tech materials, titanium and rubber, the dynamic use of materials, shapes, textures and colours - everything about Bianchet watches and the Bianchet spirit expresses passion, beauty and modernity.

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TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Model name:  Flying Tourbillon Grande Date B1.618 Edition

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Manual wound Flying Tourbillon with Big Date complication
Power Reserve: 90 hours (+/- 5%)
Water resistance: 10 ATM (100 metres)
Weight: 55 grams (excluding strap)
Swiss Made
Guarantee: 5 years


MOVEMENT
Flying tourbillon 60 seconds
Tourbillon cage in titanium, mounted on ball bearings
Adapted to 6 positions.
Frequency: 3hz - 21’600 vibrations/hour
Skeletonized Grande Date complication.
Titanium main plate and bridges.
Non-magnetic tourbillon cage.
Balance wheel with variable inertia.

Finishing:

Hand-finished.
Hand beveling on titanium bridges and tourbillon cage.
Sand-blasting, satin-brushing on plates and bridges.
Lacquer applied by hand on crown, tourbillon cap, and big date.

Manufacturing Partners:

  • Inhotech
  • Precision Engineering
  • Feller
  • Crelier
  • Goldec
  • Bandi
  • AE Decolletages
  • Ultradec
  • Protofil
  • CMT Rickenbach
  • Quickparts
  • GMG

CASE
Materials
Carbon Version: Titanium-Dust-High-Density carbon
Crown in grade 5 titanium.
Natural vulcanised rubber.
Hybrid Version: Bezel & back in grade 5 titanium. Middle case in  Titanium-Dust-High-Density carbon
Crown in grade 5 titanium.
Natural vulcanised rubber.
Finishing
Case finished by hand.
Hand polished crown.
Lacquer applied by hand.
Glass: Sapphire crystal on bezel and back with glare-proof treatment on both sides
Dimensions: W: 43 mm L: 51 mm H: 14.35 mm
STRAP
Natural vulcanised rubber
Titanium folding clasp

🔰Limited Edition ✅ Only 200 Pieces

🔴 Price: upon request 💰
 

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BIANCHET SA
Rue de la Promenade Noire 1
2000 Neuchâtel
Switzerland
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www.Bianchet.com